Conducting financial transaction

ABSTRACT

A payment device such as a debit card may be issued to an individual such as a minor. The debit card may be associated with spending control parameters to prevent overspending and other financial issues. Control parameters may include a weekly maximum that may be spent, approved transaction types (e.g., deposits only), authorized transaction entities (e.g., grocery stores, gas stations, etc.). Thus, transaction might only be approved if the transaction qualifies under the set control parameters. An individual may further access a banking interface that allows the individual to view financial education materials, games, savings trackers and the like. A savings tracker may be used to help an individual save money toward a particular goal. In one or more configurations, a parent, guardian or primary account holder may have the ability to modify control settings of the payment device and/or modify the banking interface (e.g., change the options available).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/873,485, filed Oct. 17, 2007, and entitled “CONDUCTING FINANCIALTRANSACTIONS,” which is hereby incorporated by reference as to itsentirety.

BACKGROUND

Credit cards, debit cards and other types of payment devices are quicklyreplacing traditional methods of payment including cash and check. Formany, the convenience of carrying a single card that provides access toneeded funds outweighs any of the advantages of carrying cash or acheckbook. However, under current industry regulations, many individualssuch as minors are not permitted to have payment devices such as debitcards. One concern that has led to such regulations is the fear that aminor will frequently overspend or overdraw his or her account. Thus,parents and/or guardians of such individuals often need to withdraw cashfrom their accounts so that the individuals may make a purchase orconduct some other financial transaction. Alternatively, the parents orguardians may need to make the desired transaction themselves for theindividuals. Cash or gift cards are another option but are susceptibleto loss (i.e., if the cash or gift card is lost, the funds are alsolost).

SUMMARY

Aspects described herein relate to systems, methods and apparatuses forestablishing and enforcing spending controls associated with a paymentdevice such as a debit card. A debit card may be issued to an individualsuch as a minor with control parameters associated therewith. A parentor guardian or the individual may set various control parametersincluding spending limits, authorized types of use, limitations on timesof use and the like. Thus, a minor, for example, may independently maketransactions without fear of exceeding account limits, spending too muchand/or buying unnecessary items. Such a payment device may be issued bycreating a new payment device number (e.g., a bank identificationnumber) and linking the payment device number to an existing account.For example, a minor may be able to link a debit card to a savingsaccount or other funding account. During establishment and creation ofthe payment device, controls may be set. In one or more arrangements, aPIN different from the minor or account holder's PIN may also beestablished for a parent or guardian. The PIN may provide the parent orguardian with a higher degree of access to the linked account. In oneexample, entering the parent or guardian PIN may allow the parent orguardian to circumvent the spending restrictions.

According to one or more aspects, transactions using a payment devicemay be processed by comparing the transaction parameters to one or morecontrol parameters. For example, a transaction amount may be compared toa spending limit and/or an account balance. In another example, atransaction party may be compared to a list of authorized parties.Various other comparisons may also be made depending on the controlssettings associated with the payment device. Once the transaction isauthorized, funds may be appropriately transferred.

According to one or more further aspects, a banking interface associatedwith a payment device having control parameters set therewith mayinclude various financial assistance tools such as educational tools,games, goal tracker and the like. Educational tools and games may helpan individual such as a minor learn about fiscal responsibility. A goaltracker may also be included in the banking interface to help anindividual reach a particular goal. For example, if a high schoolstudent is saving up for a car, the goal tracker may help with planningfinancial activities and parameters for reaching that goal. Theinterface may further be customizable. In one or more configurations, aparent or guardian responsible for setting control parameters may accessthe banking interface as well. The banking interface may be the same asor different from the interface that is displayed to the account holder.In one instance, a parent or guardian may access options (e.g., controlsettings) in a banking interface that are not available to the accountholder. A parent or guardian may also alter the settings of theinterface displayed for the account holder.

According to one or more additional aspects, a payment device may alsoinclude identification information so that the device may be used asidentification. The identification information may be visible on itsface or may be stored in a non-visible manner (i.e., on a magnetic stripor in another storage medium). The photo identification may also includerestrictions or controls such that the identification is only valid ifcertain specified conditions are met.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. The Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary of the claimed subject matter, as well as thefollowing detailed description of illustrative embodiments, is betterunderstood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,which are included by way of example, and not by way of limitation withregard to the claimed subject matter.

FIG. 1 illustrates a computing environment in which one or more aspectsdescribed herein may be implemented.

FIG. 2 illustrates a transaction processing environment according to oneor more aspects described herein.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for establishing a paymentdevice according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for processing a transactionaccording to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for setting and modifyingcontrol parameters according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 6 illustrates a banking interface according to one or more aspectsdescribed herein.

FIG. 7 illustrates a savings tracker interface according to one or moreaspects described herein.

FIG. 8 illustrates a block diagram of a transaction processing systemaccording to one or more aspects described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description of various illustrative embodiments,reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a parthereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, variousembodiments in which the claimed subject matter may be practiced. It isto be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structuraland functional modifications may be made without departing from thescope of the present claimed subject matter.

FIG. 1 illustrates a computing environment in which one or more aspectsdescribed herein may be implemented. A computing device such as computer100 may house a variety of components for inputting, outputting, storingand processing data. For example, processor 105 may perform a variety oftasks including executing one or more applications, retrieving data froma storage device such as storage 115 and/or outputting data to a devicesuch as display 120. Processor 105 may be connected to Random AccessMemory (RAM) module 110 in which application data and/or instructionsmay be temporarily stored. RAM module 110 may be stored and accessed inany order, providing equal accessibility to the storage locations in RAMmodule 110. Computer 100 may further include Read Only Memory (ROM) 112which allows data stored thereon to persist or survive after computer100 has been turned off. ROM 112 may be used for a variety of purposesincluding for storage of computer 100's Basic Input/Output System(BIOS). ROM 112 may further store date and time information so that theinformation persists even through shut downs and reboots. In addition,storage 115 may provide long term storage for a variety of dataincluding applications and data files. Storage 115 may include any of avariety of computer readable mediums such as disc drives, opticalstorage mediums, magnetic tape storage systems, flash memory and thelike. In one example, processor 105 may retrieve an application fromstorage 115 and temporarily store the instructions associated with theapplication RAM module 110 while the application is executing.

Computer 100 may output data through a variety of components anddevices. As mentioned above, one such output device may be display 120.Another output device may include an audio output device such as speaker125. Each output device 120 and 125 may be associated with an outputadapter such as display adapter 122 and audio adapter 127, whichtranslates processor instructions into corresponding audio and videosignals. In addition to output systems, computer 100 may receive and/oraccept input from a variety of input devices such as keyboard 130,storage media drive 135 and/or microphone (not shown). As with outputdevices 120 and 125, each of the input devices 130 and 135 may beassociated with an adapter 140 for converting the input into computerreadable/recognizable data. In one example, voice input received throughmicrophone (not shown) may be converted into a digital format and storedin a data file. In another example, credit card input may be receivedthrough a card reader (not shown) and converted into a digital format.In one or more instances, a device such as media drive 135 may act asboth an input and output device allowing users to both write and readdata to and from the storage media (e.g., DVD-R, CD-RW, etc.).

Computer 100 may further include one or more communication componentsfor receiving and transmitting data over a network. Various types ofnetworks include cellular networks, digital broadcast networks, InternetProtocol (IP) networks and the like. Computer 100 may include adapterssuited to communicate through one or more of these networks. Inparticular, computer 100 may include network adapter 150 forcommunication with one or more other computer or computing devices overan IP network. In one example, adapter 150 may facilitate transmissionof data such as electronic mail messages and/or financial data over acompany or organization's network. In another example, adapter 150 mayfacilitate transmission or receipt of information from a world widenetwork such as the Internet. Adapter 150 may include one or more setsof instructions relating to one or more networking protocols. Forexample adapter 150 may include a first set of instructions forprocessing IP network packets as well as a second set of instructionsassociated with processing cellular network packets. In one or morearrangements, network adapter 150 may provide wireless network accessfor computer 100.

One of skill in the art will appreciate that computing devices such ascomputer 100 may include a variety of other components and is notlimited to the devices and systems described in FIG. 1.

Computer 100 of FIG. 1 may be incorporated into a variety of transactionprocessing systems for authorizing and completing requested transaction.Further, transaction processing may be facilitated through any number ofnetworks including merchant networks (e.g., VISANET/PLUS/INTERLINK).FIG. 2 illustrates a transaction processing environment in which anindividual may perform transactions at a variety of different locations.For example, environment 200 includes multiple transaction sitesincluding automated teller machine (ATM) 205, retail store 210, bank215, home computer 220 and gas station 225. Transaction sites mayinclude a variety of other locations and is not limited to the locationsillustrated in FIG. 2. An individual may perform a transaction at eachof these locations using a payment device, e.g., payment card 240.Payment devices may include credit cards, debit cards, RFID devices,mobile communication devices such as cell phones and/or combinationsthereof. In one or more configurations, a payment device may be mobileso that the payment device may be carried to and used at differentlocations. Each of the transaction sites 205, 210, 215, 220 and 225 maybe connected through a network such as the Internet to a transactionprocessing center such as processing center 230. Transaction processingcenter 230 may be located at a bank or other entity with which thetransaction is associated. For example, if an individual pays for gasusing a debit card issued by Bank A, a transaction request may be sentto a transaction processing center (e.g., center 230) associated withBank A. The transaction processing center 230 may be responsible forhandling multiple activities including authorizing transactions (e.g., awithdrawal, payment, deposit, credit), detecting fraud, issuing paymentdevices such as credit cards and debit cards, activating payment devicesand/or determining and issuing rewards.

Transaction processing environment 200 may further include a processingback office such as back office 235. Back office 235 may be responsiblefor performing a variety of tasks including settlement, exceptionprocessing, transaction research, fraud detection, reporting and/oraccounting. Some tasks performed by back office 235 may overlap with oneor more other systems (e.g., processing center 230) in the event theother systems are unable to perform the task and/or additionalinformation is needed. For example, if processing center 230 is unableto obtain all the information needed to make a fraud decision, the fraudprocessing may be passed to back office 235. Settlement may includeobtaining or transferring funds to one or more entities or accountsdepending on the type of transaction. Reporting may include generating astatement for the transaction and/or notifying the individual requestingthe transaction about the details of the completed transactions.Further, accounting may include updating and balancing the bank's orother entity's accounting records.

According to one or more aspects, back office 235 may be connected toone or more other back offices, e.g. back office 245, for settling orreconciling a transaction. In one example, transaction processing center230 may initially authorize a purchase transaction based on a purchaseamount and the amount of funds available in an associated bank account.Once authorized, the transaction may be passed to back office 235 forsettlement and reconciliation. That is, the transaction may be submittedto back office 235 for transferring the payment amount to a destinationbank or other entity associated with the payee, e.g., back office 245.In one example, back office 245 may associated with a bank of the payee.

Due to the perceived lack of maturity of minors (e.g., individuals underthe age of 18), current issuers of debit and credit cards (and otherpayment devices) generally do not issue debit and/or credit cards tominors. However, debit cards, credit cards and other payment devices areoften convenient and present less risk of monetary loss than carryingpaper money or coins. Further, different individuals often exhibitdifferent levels of maturity. As such, some minors may be ready tohandle the responsibility associated with credit or debit cards butwould not be allowed to do so under current typical card issuingpractice.

According to one or more aspects, payment devices such as debit cardsmay be issued to minors. The debit card may be tied to or otherwiseassociated with a funding account such as a savings or checking account.The payment devices may further include one or more controls such asspending limits, use restrictions, account limits or restrictions andthe like. Additionally, on-line banking may be customized forinteraction by minors. For example, on-line banking sites may includeeducational tools and information to encourage fiscal responsibility andsensible spending. Further, banking sites or interfaces may display atimeline and/or a plan for saving toward a goal specified by the minor(e.g., a bike or a car).

Additionally or alternatively, the payment device may further includeidentification information such as a photo, fingerprint data, age,address, description and the like. The information may be displayed onthe payment device or embedded as stored data. Accordingly, the paymentdevice may also be used or act as identification. In one or morearrangements, payment device controls may also be applied toidentification information stored thereon. That is, controls may be setto define circumstances under which identification information stored onthe payment device may be used to authenticate identity or may beconsidered valid. For example, a payment device storing identificationinformation may be considered valid ID at the movies but not forpurchasing goods (e.g., alcohol or cigarettes).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for establishing a paymentdevice for a minor. In step 300, a banking institution or other paymentdevice issuer may receive a request for a new payment device such as acredit card or a debit card. The request may originate from, forexample, a minor or a parent or guardian of the minor. In response tothe request, the banking institution may generate a new payment devicenumber (e.g., debit card number, bank identification number) in step305. Additionally, the banking institution may also establish or obtainpersonal information associated with the new payment device in step 310.Personal information may include personal identification number (PIN)information, card/account relationships and/or name/address/phoneinformation. This information may be stored physically on the paymentdevice (e.g., on a magnetic strip or in an RFID chip) or may be storedin a server and linked to the device number or both. In one or moreconfigurations, a PIN for a parent or guardian may also be establishedto allow access to additional or different functionality. For example,by entering a different PIN than the minor or individual to which thepayment device belongs, a parent or guardian may access an interface formodifying the controls associated with the payment device. In step 315,the banking institution may link the payment device and/or paymentdevice number to a banking or credit account. For example, a debit cardnumber may be linked to a minor's savings account to identify theaccount from which funds are to be drawn and deposited.

In step 320, the banking institution may determine whether one or morecontrols should be applied to the card. The determination may be madeautomatically or based on a preference of the requesting party. In oneexample, if a debit card is being established for a minor, controls maybe required. Alternatively, controls may be optional. If controls arerequired or desired, control settings may be received in step 325 andassociated with the payment device number and/or account number in step330. For example, a parent may wish to set spending limits for his orher child. The spending limits may include time of use restrictionsand/or amount limitations. The control settings may be stored in adatabase or embedded in a storage medium of the payment device (e.g., amagnetic strip or RFID chip). In step 335, the payment device may begenerated and issued to the minor or parent or guardian.

Once a payment device has been issued to an intended user such as aminor, the user may begin making transactions with the device. FIG. 4 isa flowchart illustrating a method for processing a transaction. In step400, a transaction processing center may receive a transaction requestfrom a transaction site such as an ATM, a gas station, a retail store orthe like. Upon receiving the transaction request, the transactionprocessing center may determine a user's account associated with thetransaction request, a type of transaction and an amount associated withthe transaction in step 405. In one example, an account may beidentified based on a payment device number included in the requestwhile the type of transaction and the amount may be included in therequest. Types of transactions may include withdrawals and deposits.Withdrawals may include purchase transactions as well as cash withdrawaltransactions (e.g., at ATMs) while deposits may include sales payments,credits (e.g., for a return) and/or cash/check deposits.

If the transaction corresponds to a withdrawal, the processing centermay determine whether one or more parameters of the requestedtransaction qualifies under one or more withdrawal control settingsassociated with the account in step 410. For example, the processingcenter may evaluate whether the withdrawal amount is below a predefineddaily limit. In another example, the processing center may determinewhether the withdrawal is for payment to an authorized entity or groupof entities (e.g., grocery stores, convenience stores). If thetransaction qualifies under the control settings, the processing centermay subsequently determine, in step 415, whether an account limit willbe exceeded if the specified transaction amount is withdrawn (i.e.,whether the transaction amount is greater than the account balance). Ifthe account limit will be exceeded or if the transaction does notqualify under the control settings, the transaction may be denied instep 420. In step 425, if the account limit will not be exceeded and thetransaction qualifies under the control settings, the processing centermay approve the transaction request. A withdrawal or funds destinationmay then be identified in step 430. That is, the processing center maydetermine a destination entity and/or location to which withdrawn fundsare to be sent. If, for example, a user is making an ATM withdrawal, theprocessing center may identify an entity or account associated with theATM to which the funds should be sent. On the other hand, if the user ispurchasing groceries, the processing center may determine a companyand/or company account to which to send payment. The destination entityand/or location may be identified in the transaction request. Forexample, an ATM or a retail store may include account information forthe ATM or retail store to the processing center. In step 435, therequested amount of funds may be withdrawn from the account andtransferred to the destination entity and/or location (e.g., anaccount).

If the transaction corresponds to a deposit, the processing center maydetermine whether one or more deposit parameters qualify under one ormore deposit control settings in step 440. In one or moreconfigurations, this step may be optional if no deposit control settingsexist. If the deposit parameters qualify, a deposit or funding sourcemay be identified in step 445. For example, if a user is depositingmoney at an ATM, the source may be identified as the ATM machine or anaccount associated therewith. Alternatively, if a user is being paid byanother entity, the processing center may identify an account associatedwith the paying entity. In step 450, the processing center may requestthe transaction amount of funds from the payee or a banking institutionassociated therewith. Further, in step 455, the processing center maycredit the transaction amount to the user's account. In one or morearrangements, a temporary credit may be applied to a user's accountuntil the transaction amount is received from the payee.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart illustrating a method for setting ormodifying control parameters for a payment device such as a debit cardissued to a minor. In step 500, a control system may receive a requestto view or modify control parameters associated with a payment devicenumber. For example, a user may log on to a website using a username andpassword previously registered with the payment device number and/or anaccount associated with the payment device (e.g., a savings accountlinked to a debit card). In step 505, the control system may validatethe request. For example, the control system may verify the logininformation is valid. In step 510, the control system may displaycurrent control settings to the user along with modification options. Instep 515, the control system may receive one or more modificationrequests to the control settings. In response to the modificationrequests, the control system may confirm and enter the changes in step520. For example, the control system may enter the changes by saving thecontrol settings in association with the payment device and/or theaccount associated with the payment device. Old control settings may beoverwritten or removed. Controls may be changed (e.g., added/removed) atany time by an authorized user. For instance, if a child is grounded, aparent may restrict the use of the child's debit card to a certainamount or may restrict use of the card entirely.

FIG. 6 illustrates a banking interface that may be displayed to a minoror other individual having a payment device subject to spendingcontrols. Banking interface 600 includes a variety of options such asgames 605, view/edit personal information 610, educational tools 615,transaction history 620, account information 625 and savings plan 630.Games 605 and educational tools 615 may both relate to interactiveprograms or applications designed to entertain and/or educate theaccount holder. Games 605 may be directed more to the entertainment sidewhile educational tools 615 may be directed more toward financiallearning. Transaction history option 620 may be used to access a historyof transactions made by the account holder. View/edit personalinformation option 610 may allow an account holder to view and editinformation about him or herself such as address, e-mail, phone numberand the like. Account information option 625, when accessed, may displaya listing of the current settings and parameters of the account. Forexample, the account information may show the type of account (e.g.,debit, credit), an account number to which the payment device is linked,control settings and/or balance information. Savings plan option 630, onthe other hand, may be used to track an account holder's savings. Thetracking may be depicted using a timeline. An account holder may furtherset a goal for his or her savings and solicit planning hints from thebanking system. For example, a banking system may calculate the amountof money an account holder would have to save on a weekly or monthlybasis to purchase a prom dress in 2 months. Further, banking interface600 may be customizable by the account holder. In one example, anaccount holder may change the placement of option buttons, choose abackground and/or a skin for the interface, select music to be playedand the like.

According to one or more aspects, a parent or guardian may also accessbanking interface 600 and make certain modifications. Thus, if a parentor guardian disapproves of the account holder's background orarrangement of option buttons, the parent or guardian may login andchange the background and button arrangement accordingly. A parent orguardian may further have access to options that the account holdermight not have access to such as modification of the control settings.In one or more configurations, the parent or guardian may be presentedwith a different banking interface that includes different options thanthose of banking interface 600.

FIG. 7 illustrates a savings tracker interface for tracking andmonitoring an account holder's savings and account activity. Savingstracker interface 700 includes timeline 705 showing an amount of pastand future time, activity indicators 710, goal information 715 andsuggestion box 720. Timeline 705 may show a period of time that isdefined by a variety of factors including user preference, a timespecified as part of a goal and the like. Thus, if a goal was to haveenough funds for a birthday party in 2 weeks, the timeline might displayat least the 2 weeks between the current date and the date of thebirthday party. The timeline may be configured in a horizontal fashionor in a vertical manner. Other arrangements may also be used to displaytimeline 705. An amount of past time may also be displayed on thetimeline to illustrate historical activity (e.g., spending, saving,etc.). Activity indicators 710 may be used to identify points ontimeline 705 when a particular activity (e.g., a deposit, a withdrawal,etc.) took place. Indicators 710 may include any shape, color and/orappearance and may provide further information about a correspondingactivity upon a user selecting, hovering over or otherwise interactingwith the indicator.

Goal information 715 includes data collected about a certain accountholder goal. Goal information 715 may include a goal amount 731 and agoal item 732. By entering this information, a banking system maydetermine suggestions or a savings plan to help the account holder reachthe goal within the specified time frame. For example, the bankingsystem may display, in suggestion box 720, a weekly savings amount 741and a maximum weekly spending amount 742. The weekly savings amount 741may be calculated based on the amount needed to reach the goal and thecurrent balance. The weekly savings amount 741 may further take intoaccount an average amount spent (e.g., on a weekly, daily or monthlybasis) based on historical spending data. A maximum weekly spendingallowance 742 may specify the suggested maximum amount of funds anaccount holder should spend on a weekly basis to be able to reach thegoal. The allowance 742 may be built into (i.e., compensated by) thesavings amount calculation.

FIG. 8 illustrates a block diagram of a transaction processing systemaccording to one or more aspects. Transaction processing system 800 mayinclude a variety of components including a user interface portal 805,authentication module 810, authorization module 815, fraud detectionmodule 820, device issuance/activation module 825, settlement module830, reporting module 835 and accounting/reconciliation module 840. Userinterface portal 805 may be configured to generate and display a bankingor transaction interface to a user. User interface portal 805 maygenerate and display different interfaces depending on whether anaccount holder is accessing the information or if the account is beingaccessed by a parent or guardian of the account holder. Authenticationmodule 810 may be used to validate various types of information such aslogin name and passwords, PIN numbers, payment device numbers, personalinformation and the like. Authorization module 815, on the other hand,may be configured to authorize a requested transaction. Authorizationmay be evaluated based on an account balance, one or more controlsettings and/or a level of trust of a third party involved in thetransaction. Fraud detection module 820 may be configured to determinewhether a transaction or recent activity is indicative of fraud. Fraudmay be detected in a variety of ways including comparing recent levelsof activity (e.g., spending) with historical levels. Deviceissuance/activation module 825 may be configured to issue new paymentdevice numbers and link accounts to payment devices. Deviceissuance/activation module 825 may also control the activation of thepayment device.

Settlement module 830 may be configured to complete the transfer offunds to and/or from an account. Thus, even if a transaction isinitially authorized, the transaction might not be fully settled orcompleted until the funds are finally received by the receiving entity.Reporting module 835 may be configured to report various activities tovarious entities such as the account holder (e.g., by way of astatement), a parent or guardian of the account holder, a bankaccounting system (e.g., account module 850) and the like.Accounting/reconciliation module 840 may be configured to audit bankactivities and to make sure all accounts are reconciled. For example, anentity may wish to determine that the appropriate amount of funds haveflowed in and out of the entity within a period of time. Alternativelyor additionally, reporting module 835 may be configured to alert anentity if funds have not been received within a specified period oftime.

In one or more embodiments, multiple payment devices may be associatedwith the same funding account. In such instances, the payment devicesmay have different or the same device number. If the payment deviceshave different device numbers, different controls may be set for eachdevice number. Alternatively, the payment devices may have the samedevice number but each have a different PIN, different controls may beset for each particular PIN. According to another aspect, a singlepayment device may be associated with two different PINs. Thus, each PINmay be associated with different control settings. For example, one PINmay be for a parent or guardian while another PIN may be assigned to aminor.

While the aspects described herein relate generally to minors and theissuance of controlled payment devices to such minors, payment deviceshaving spending controls associated therewith may also be issued tonon-minors. In one or more arrangements, account controls may bemodified/set by a primary account holder. For example, in instanceswhere two individuals jointly open an account, one of the twoindividuals may have primary responsibility for the rights andobligations associated with the account. Thus, the primary accountholder may be able to control the spending and transactions of thesecondary account holder. Thus, the primary account holder might not bea parent or guardian, but instead, may be an uncle or a husband or wife.

Additionally, the methods and features recited herein may further beimplemented through any number of computer readable media that are ableto store computer readable instructions. Examples of computer readablemedia that may be used include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or othermemory technology, CD-ROM, DVD, or other optical disk storage, magneticcassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic storage and the like.

While illustrative systems and methods as described herein embodyingvarious aspects are shown, it will be understood by those skilled in theart that the invention is not limited to these embodiments.Modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly inlight of the foregoing teachings. For example, each of the elements ofthe aforementioned embodiments may be utilized alone or in combinationor subcombination with elements of the other embodiments. It will alsobe appreciated and understood that modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thedescription is thus to be regarded as illustrative instead ofrestrictive on the present invention.

1. One or more computer readable media storing computer readableinstructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor togenerate an interface comprising: bank account information in a firstportion of the interface; and a goal tracking data in a second portionof the interface, wherein the goal tracking data includes: at least oneof a goal item and a goal cost; and a timeline identifying one or morelevels of savings.
 2. The one or more computer readable medium of claim1, wherein the timeline includes at least one indicator at a specifiedlocation, the at least one indicator configured to specify an accountactivity occurring at a time corresponding to the specified location. 3.The one or more computer readable media of claim 1, wherein theinterface further comprises one or more suggestions for reaching the atleast one of the goal item and the goal cost.
 4. The one or morecomputer readable media of claim 3, wherein the one or more suggestionsare generated based on a historical account activity.